28. 07. 2011

News agency cameramen injured in Kosovo

Belgrade, Julz 28, 2011. (Beta, Tanjug, B92) - Two Tanjug cameramen were attacked and injured late on Wednesday evening on the road from Leposavić to Jarinje in the Serb-dominated north of Kosovo.

The incident took place on the road from Leposavić to the Jarinje administrative checkpoint, at the place where local Serbs had blocked the road with a front loader, and on both traffic lanes there were about 50 cars.

The cameramen were attacked as soon as they came out of the car to record the events at the road blockage.

One of the attackers took away the camera from Tanjug's Đorđe Spasić, and hit him on the head, while Davorin Pavlović, who tried to protect his colleague, was attacked by several people.

With the help of Tanjug reporters, the cameramen managed to get into the car and leave the site.

Spasić, who has a cut on his head, and Pavlović received medical attention at the health care center in the village of Lešak, where a doctor determined that Spasić suffered serious, and Pavlović only minor injuries.

The incidents targeting media were today condemned by Serbia's Association of Journalists (UNS) and Independent Association of Journalists (NUNS), as well as by the Vienna-based regional South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO).

NUNS and UNS also strongly condemned another attack, which targeted a Serb journalist of the Albanian language TV Klan.

His assailant was reportedly the brother of the Zubin Potok mayor.

The organizations urged the authorities to identify and apprehend the attackers.